Speed indicator for warp knitting machines



Dec. 16, 1947. R. F. ESHLEMAN 3 SPEED INDICATOR FOR WARP KN ITTINGMACHINES Filed Dec. 29, 1944 i'm l g Q N l I H- i 7 zgvzvrox.

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Patented Dec. 16, 1947 SPEED INDICATOR FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINESRichard F. Eshleman, West Chester, Pa, assignor to American ViscoseCorporation, Wilmington. DeL, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationDecember 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,250

4 Claims. (01. 66-125) This invention relates to a warp knittin machineand is concerned with a device adapted to be interconnected therewithfor indicating the speed of the yarn in a warp and/or the ratio betweenthe speeds of yarns in several warps and with methods of operating themachine.

Heretofore it has been the practice to determine the speed of a warp orof the warps in a knitting machine by marking a point on the yarn ofeach warp and determining the distance traveled by such point in eachwarp in a given period of time, such as that required for a given numberof stitches, such as a rack (4-80 stitches), to be completed. Then bycomparing the speeds thus obtained, the operator adjusts the machine ina manner which he estimates would change the speed to what he desiresfor the particular pattern under construction, Frequently, it isnecessary for the operator to take several such measurements and makecorrecting adjustments until he finally obtains the desired speed of thesingle warp, or speed of the warps and ratio between them when there area plurality of warps. This practice is a time-consuming and yarnconsuming operation. It not only causes a loss of fabric as a result ofimproper pattern or structure, but it also may produce cloth defects dueto stop marks occuring at the instants when the machine is stopped sothat the measurements and adjustments can be made.

The present invention has for its main object to provide a continuousChecking of the speed of the yarn, as well as the ratio of the speeds ofyarns in separate warps when more than one warp supply is being used. Afurther object is to provide such a continuous checking of speed ofyarns without the necessity to stop the machine to make measurements orto make adjustments. Further objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the descriptionhereinafter.

In the drawing illustrative of the invention,

Figure 1 is a front elevation showin a portion of a warp knittingmachine with the device of the present invention in place,

Figure 2 is an end elevation, partially in cross section, showing therelationship of the device to the warp knitting machine, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the device.

Referring 'to the drawing, the frame of the warp knitting machinecomprises two end supports 2 and 3 and a central support 4. Supportingrods 5 and 6 are carried by the frame and in turn the tension bars i and8 are mounted rotatably with respect to the rods 5 and B by means of thespaced levers 9. As shown more particularly in Figure 2, the front warpsheet 19 proceeds from the upper warp supply beam or beams ll over thetension bar 1, Similarly, the back war i2 proceeds from the lower warpsupply beams i3 over the tension bar 8. The beams H and I3 are suitablysupported in the framework of the machine in conventional manner. Thelevers 9 each have a portion or arm extending back of the rods 5 and 6,and these portions are provided with bores through each of which asmooth end of a tension screw l4 extends loosely. Springs 55 press thelevers 9 against the pins I6. Since the tension screws have ascrew-fitting engagement with fixed supporting members H, the tensionwith which the spring resists clockwise movement of the levers 9 may bevaried by adjusting the screws in the fixed members ll. This adjustmentmay be made for each screw individually, as is the conventionalpractice, or, preferably, a single crank it (see Figure 1) may be turnedto accomplish simultaneous adjustment of all the tension screwsassociated with a single tension bar. As shown, the central screw of thethree associated with each tension bar is provided with such a cranklever I 8, and each screw is provided with a bevel gear it fixedlysecured there to. Bevel pinions 23 carried on cross shafts 2i serve toconnect the several screws for simultaneous adjustment.

In accordance with the present invention, there is mounted upon theframe of the machine or any other stationary part thereof, where it willbe readily visible to the operator the indicating device 22. As shown,the device is rotatably mounted within a bearing 23 of a bracket 26fixedly secured to the rod 5, and comprises a driving shaft 25 having anindex plate 25 in the form of a disc provided with an index mark 21. Theplate 25 has a projecting bearing 28. The bearing 28 as shown has twostepped portions, each of which is adapted to receive rotatablethereabout one ofthe pulleys 25a, 29b. Shims'iiil may be provided toreduce the surface contact of the faces of the pulleys with themselvesand with the plate .25. A cap screw 3! may be provided for holding theassembly in place. Each of the rotatable members 2911 and 29b carriesindicia 21a and 21b, Adjacent the ends of the warp sheet, a guidingmember 32 secured to the rod 5. This guide is provided with as manyguiding grooves 33 as there are warp supplies, so that the yarn or yarnsfrom each warp supply may be guided separately from that of the other. Adriving connection for the plate 26 extends from the shaft 25 through aflexible shaft 34 to a solid shaft 35 carried by the framework anddriven by a gear or sprocket 36. Ihe driving element 36 may be connectedto any suitable moving part driven at constant speed,

such as the cam shaft, so that the plate 26 is driven at a constantpredetermined speed.

When operating th machine in accordance with the present invention, oneor more yarns from one edge of each warp supply is led through one ofthe guiding grooves 33, then completely about one of the rotatingmembers 29a, 2%, etc., then through a corresponding guiding groove 33 inthe guide member 32 at the other end of the machine, from which theyarns ultimately proceed to the knitting position. One or more yarnsfrom each of the warp supplies, whether that be one, two, three, or anyother number, proceeds through a separate set of grooves 33 in the twoguid members 32 and about a separate oneof the members Elia, 2%, etc, asthe yarn passes between the two guide members 32. The members 29a, 2%,etc., are replaceable, and the operator before starting the machineselects them so that there is a predetermined ratio between theperipheries corresponding to the ratio he desires between the speeds ofthe various warps. Also, these members 29a, 2%, are selected so that theindicia thereon, when the warps associated therewith are traveling atthe desired speeds, will substantially coincide with the index 2'5 of thconstant speed rotating member 25. By so selecting the members, 29a, 2%,etc, it will be seen that when the desired speeds for the various warpsare achieved, the indicia Zia, Zlb, etc., will be in registry with theindex 2?, as shown in Figure 1. The operator, of course, before hestarts the machine, threads up the device 22 sets the indicia Zia and27?), so that they are in registry with index 2? at their startingposition. If one or both of the warp supplies are not feeding the yarnsat the desired rate, this will be Very quickly discovered merely byobserving the device 22, since the members 25a and 2% will quickly fallout of step, so that their indicia are no longer in registry with theindex 2'! when their speeds are either slower or faster than the speedsdesired. The operator, without stopping the machine, can observe thediscrepancies, and can immediately take steps to adjust the speed of thewarp or warps, such as by adjusting the tension screws by means of oneor both of the hand cranks it. The operator can readily determinewhether the adjustment needed is to increase or decrease the speed ofthe warp, since all indices travel in the same direction. If that foreither warp lags behind the reference index iii, an increase in speed isneeded, whereas if either index leads the index 2?, a decrease in speedof the respective warp or warps is needed.

The reference index bearing plate 26 may, if desired, be positioned infront of all of the rotatable members 29a, 2% or it may be disposedbetween any two of such members. In any event, the slower moving warp ispassed about the smaller of the members 29a, 29b. The yarns intended tobe passed around the members 29a, 291) may be taken from other portionsof the warp instead of the selvage, and may be returned to the warpsheet at any portion thereof. For example, the yarn proceeding from thedevice 22 may pass about a guide 32 arranged adjacent the central levers9.

Changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A warp knitting machine comprising a plurality of warp supplies,means for guiding the yarns from the supplies to knitting position, andmeans for indicating the relative speeds of the yarns of each warpcomprising a'plurality of rotatabie members concentrically mounted on acommon axis of rotation each in direct juxtaposition to at least oneother or" such members, one rotatable member being provided for eachwarp supply and each being driven by at least one yarn from itsrespective warp supply as the travels on the way to the knittingposition.

2. A warp knitting machine comprising at least one warp supply, mean-sfor guiding the yarns from the supply to knitting position, and meansfor indicating the speed of the yarns as they travel on the way to theknitting position comprising a rotatable member, means for driving themember at a substantially constant predetermined speed, and a secondrotatabl member mounted on the same axis as the first and driven by atleast one of the yarns as it travels on the way to the knittingposition, one of the rotatable members being mounted directly in frontof the other.

3. A warp knitting machine comprising at least one warp supply, meansfor guiding the yarns from the supply to knitting position, and meansfor indicating the speed of the yarns as they travel on the way to theknitting position comprising a rotatable member, means for driving themember at a substantially constant predetermined speed, and anindicia-bearing disc rotatable on the same as the member and driven byat least one of the yarns as it travels the way to the knittingposition, one of the rotatable members being mounted directly in frontof the other.

i. A warp knitting machine comprising a plurality of warp supplies,means for guiding the yarns from the supplies to knitting position,means for indicating the speeds of the yarns of each warp comprising aplura J of st r/el rotatable members mounted upon common axis ofrotation each in direct juxtaposition to at least one other of suchmembers, means for driving one of said members at a substantiallyconstant predetermined speed, each of the other rotatable members beingdriven by at least one yarn from a corresponding warp supply as the yarntravels on the way to the knitting position, and indicia carried by eachof said rotatable members.

I RICHARD F. ESHLEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

-UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1,154,251 Keeton Sept. 21, .19152,109,945 Lawson Mar, 1, 3.938 2,030,425 Beniston Feb. 11, 19362,207,464 Lawson r July inc 2,298,888 Kaufinann Oct. 13, 2,989,494Lawson Aug. 1-0, 193'? 1,947,958 Welch Feb. 20, 193%:

